Improvement in book-rests for lecture-chairs



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BOOK-RESTS FOR LECTURE-CHAIRS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Qrrron.

A. LYMAN WILLISTON, OF NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOK-RESTS FOR LECTURE-CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 184,488, dated November 21, 1876 application filed October 25, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. LYMAN WILLISTON, of the town of Northampton, in the county of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Arm-Rest for Chairs and other seats; and I hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a detachable arm rest or table, to be applied to chairs or other seats in lecture-rooms and similar places, for the convenience of the occupant in taking notes; and its object is to construct such an arm-rest so that it may be very readily and easily attached to, and removed from, the arm of the chair, and when in use may be swung around at any desired angle, so as to form a convenient support for the arm and paper in taking notes, and so that it will occupy very little, if any, additional space.

' This invention consists in improved means for attaching the arm-rest to the arm of an ordinary chair or other seat, the several parts being arranged as hereinafter more particularly described, in such a manner that the apparatus can be very readily and quickly attached for use, and as readily detached when not in use; will admit of the seats being placed nearly, it not quite, as close together as they might be if no such apparatus were used, and can be swung around so as to permit change of position while writing, and to allow the occupant of the chair to enter and leave the same without interfering with those occupying the adjoining seats.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a chair with my improved arm-rest in position. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 are detail views, hereinafter referred to and explained.

A is the rest or table, which is made of wood or other suitable material, and of convenient form and dimensions. Near one end and on the under side of the same is provided a catch,

B, consisting of a bar or disk, at, having two hooks, b b, depending from its under side. This catch B is pivoted to the table A by means of a pivot-pin, which passes through the bar or disk a, and the two hooks b b stride the arm 0 of the chair and hook onto a bar, D, which is pivoted to the under side of the said arm 0 of the chair.

Fig. 2 shows a detached view of the catch B, and Fig. 3 a similar view of the bar D.

The catch B being pivoted to the table, the

latter may be swung around, as indicated in Fig. 4, to any desired angle, so as to allow the person to change his position at pleasure while writing. E is a cleat, which I secure upon the under side of the table, for adjusting its angle of elevation. It is provided with a projection at each end, to prevent the table swinging around too far in either direction, as seen in Fig. 5.

By means of these constructions and arrangements of the several parts, the arm-rest may be very easily and quickly placed in position for use, and may be removed with equal facility when not in use, thereby forming a very convenient and useful appendage to the seat for the purposes specified; and the bar D, being pivoted, may be swung around lengthwise with the chair-arm'when not in use, so that it will be out of the way and out of sight.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The detachable arm-rest consisting of the table A, provided with the catch B, the latter being constructed as described, and arranged to operate in connection with the bar D, as set forth.

2. In combination with the arm G of the chair, the table A, catch B, and pivoted bar D, the said parts being constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described.

A. LYMAN WILLISTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN S. THORNTON, GEO. R. GARRINGTON. 

